About Jessica
Jessica Swainston is a research psychologist and medical advisor whose work bridges psychology, neuroscience, and digital health. Her doctorate investigated cognitive and emotional health in women affected by breast cancer, exploring how cognitive training and mindfulness can reduce anxiety and emotional vulnerability in cancer survivors.
She previously served as Lead Psychologist at Cogenis, a digital health company building mental health and parental safety applications, where she led the psychology function and contributed to product development.
Jessica now works as a medical advisor in the pharmaceutical industry, based in London. She holds a PhD in Psychology and Neuroscience from Birkbeck, University of London, and remains active in publishing research on patient experience and well-being.
Qualifications
- 2019: PhD in Psychology and Neuroscience, Birkbeck, University of London
- 2016: MSc (Distinction) in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology, Birkbeck, University of London
- 2015: BSc (Hons) in Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London
- 2015: Certification in Human Brain Anatomy, King’s College London
Work Experience
- 2022–present: Medical Advisor, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, London, UK
- 2020–2022: Lead Psychologist, Cogenis Ltd, London, UK
- 2017–2018: Lecturer in Health and Cognitive Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London
- 2016–2019: Teaching Demonstrator in Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods, Birkbeck, University of London
- 2015–2016: Lab and Logistics Coordinator, Nielsen Neuro
Publications
- Dalal, K., Bajaj, P., Swainston, J., Arce Sáenz, H., Waterstone, J., & Martins da Silva, S. (2026). Investigating the journey and experience of male patients through infertility clinics. Human Fertility, 29(1), 49–57. https://doi.org/10.1080/14647273.2026.2705218
- Swainston, J., & Derakshan, N. (2021). Reduced anxiety following mindfulness and adaptive working memory training in women with breast cancer. Mindfulness, 12(8), 1879–1889.
- Swainston, J., Louis, C., Moser, J., & Derakshan, N. (2021). Neurocognitive efficiency in breast cancer survivorship: A performance monitoring ERP study. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 168, 29–40.
- Chapman, B., Swainston, J., Grunfeld, E. A., & Derakshan, N. (2020). COVID-19 outbreak effects on job security and emotional functioning amongst women living with breast cancer. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 582014.
- Swainston, J., Chapman, B., Grunfeld, E. A., & Derakshan, N. (2020). COVID-19 lockdown and its adverse impact on psychological health in breast cancer. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 2033.
- Swainston, J. (2020). Understanding the neurocognitive mechanisms and improving cognitive and emotional health in female survivors of breast cancer [Doctoral dissertation, Birkbeck, University of London].
- Swainston, J., & Derakshan, N. (2018). Training cognitive control to reduce emotional vulnerability in breast cancer. Psycho-Oncology, 27(7), 1780–1786. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.4727
- Derakhshan, N., Swainston, J., & Chapman, B. (2017, July). Training attentional control to reduce emotional vulnerability in breast cancer [Poster]. 19th World Congress of Psycho-Oncology, Berlin, Germany.
